The present invention relates to a communications document system including an integrated envelope and return coupon having information intelligently imaged thereon on-line during the document-forming process and more particularly relates to an integrated envelope and return coupon imaged simultaneously with variable, usually sequential, and non-variable information during an on-line manufacturing process and forming part of a sequentially usable set of communications documents. The present invention also relates to an integrated envelope and return coupon imaged to provide machine readable characters scannable, i.e., by optical or magnetic ink character recognition machines.
With the use of computers and the advent of relatively high-speed, intelligent imaging processes, such as computer-generated Xerography, laser and ion deposition printing, it has now become possible to generate and simultaneously image both variable and non-variable information on discrete documents such that each document may be unique unto itself, e.g., with personalized or individualized information, as well as have fixed or non-variable information common to other documents. For example, personalized letters may be continuously intelligently imaged under the control of a computer with parts of the letter being common to every other letter.
A further example of products employing both variable and non-variable intelligently imaged information is payment or coupon books which are frequently employed where periodic payments are necessary. Such payment books typically comprise a series of coupons intelligently imaged with both variable and non-variable information, conventionally using successive printing processes, and wherein the individual coupons are secured one to the other to form a coupon booklet. The booklet usually includes additional information documents, such as change of address forms, tax information, addressee labels for use when effecting payment, etc. Thus, a user conventionally tears off the coupon from the book, applies the address label to a totally separate, non-individualized standard envelope, inserts the coupon into the envelope, as well as a payment check, and mails the envelope to the addressee. Each coupon is individualized with payment information which varies from coupon to coupon. For example, the date and amount due may vary from coupon to coupon and such information would be variably imaged on the coupon.
However, substantial difficulty has been encountered in adopting systems such as these for intelligently imaging envelopes with such information because of the complexity of the envelope-forming machines and the multiplicity of forming operations necessary to not only form the envelope but also to locate the intelligently imaged information in the appropriate place on the envelope. Intelligently imaged mailing envelopes, of course, have been provided in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,211 to Lubotta et al. discloses an intelligently imaged "self-mailer" using a laser printer capable of imaging any desired information on the mailers and also capable of changing the imaged information from one mailer to another. Pre-formed, pre-glued envelope blanks, including integrally formed detachable inserts are fed one by one through a laser printer in such a manner that all the surfaces of the mailer to bear information are on the same side. The printer prints variable, intelligently imaged information, e.g., address and return address, individual account number, individualized messages, on the mailer surfaces. The mailer is separated after printing, glued, folded closed, and mailed. This technique, however, requires substantial processing, particularly in that the envelopes must be pre-formed by an envelope maker and then subsequently transported by hand or conveyor to a laser printer. The printer, of course, requires a special feed mechanism for handling envelopes. To applicants' knowledge, none of the prior art envelope-forming and printing processes contemporaneously print variable and non-variable information on an envelope blank with subsequent folding and formation of the envelope in a continuous on-line process. Moreover, to applicants' knowledge, none of these prior intelligently imaged envelopes locate optically or magnetically scannable variable information in the context of the formation of an envelope. Exactitude with respect to the necessary location of the optically or magnetically scannable characters is necessary and consistency and accuracy of the imaging of those characters vis-a-vis the machine cutlines has been a problem.
According to the present invention, there is provided intelligently imaged integrated envelopes with return coupons or tear-off flaps which may be received within the envelopes for purposes of mailing to a predesignated addressee. Thus, each envelope in a series of envelopes is simultaneously intelligently imaged with both variable and non-variable information such that the final product constitutes a series or set of envelopes with integral coupons or flaps related one to the other by the particular variable information intelligently imaged thereon. For example, such related information may include serial information, such as date of payment, amount of payment, the amount of the remaining balance due, the number of that particular payment or remaining payments, etc. The coupon may also be imaged with information which is non-variable among the documents of the set or collection thereof, e.g., the name and address of the recipient or payee, the account number and other information, such as formatting information. Thus, by employing both variable and non-variable information on each document and assembling the documents serially to form a set or collection of documents, and retaining them in assembled condition for use, each individual integrated envelope and return coupon may be used in proper sequence with the appropriate information on each document.
A further advantage of the present invention is that by imaging both non-variable and variable information simultaneously on the envelope during its formation, machine-readable characters may be located as desired to meet the requirements of the customer's scanning machines. Thus, whether the scannable information be optically readable or of the type readable by magnetic ink character recognition machines, it may be accurately located relative to the edge of the coupon and/or the envelope to be amenable to machine reading.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an integrated envelope and return coupon mailing system comprising an elongated paper sheet having first and second foldlines spaced longitudinally one from the other to define first, second and third panels, the first and second panels being foldable relative to one another about the first foldline such that the first panel overlies the second panel. Non-variable and/or variable information is imaged on at least one of the first and second panels and on the third panel, all such printed information being imaged on the same side of the sheet. Means are provided for adhesively securing the first and second panels one to the other along longitudinally extending margins thereof when the first panel overlies the second panel such that the first and second panels define an envelope. Additional means define a coupon in the third panel and include a line of transversely extending perforations for separating the coupon from the sheet whereby the coupon may be received in the envelope, the variable information being carried by the coupon. The third panel is foldable about the second foldline to overlie the first panel, the first and third panels being free of any means for securing such panels one to the other when the third panel overlies the first panel. One of the second and third panels defines a flap foldable to overlie the first panel, the flap carrying a transversely extending line of adhesive for sealing the flap and the first panel one to the other to seal the envelope, and being defined in part by the line of perforations.
In a still further preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a set of communication documents, comprising a plurality of integrated envelope and return coupon documents, each of the documents comprising an elongated paper sheet having first and second foldlines spaced longitudinally one from the other to define first, second and third panels, the first and second panels being foldable relative to one another about the first foldline such that the first panel overlies the second panel. First information is imaged on at least one of the first and second panels and on the third panel and second information is imaged at least on the third panel. Means are provided for adhesively securing the first and second panels one to the other along longitudinally extending margins thereof when the first panel overlies the second panel such that the first and second panels define an envelope. Additional means define a coupon in the third panel and include a line of transversely extending perforations for separating the coupon from the sheet whereby the coupon may be received in the envelope, the second information being imaged on the coupon and the third panel being foldable about the second foldline to overlie the first panel. One of the second and third panels defines a flap foldable to overlie the first panel, the flap carrying a transversely extending line of adhesive for sealing the flap and the first panel one to the other to seal the envelope, the flap being defined in part by the line of perforations. The documents are provided in a predetermined number thereof and juxtaposed in generally parallel relation one to the other to define a set of documents, the first information being non-variable in informational content and location on each of the documents and the second information being variable in informational content from document to document. Retaining means juxtapose the documents relative to one another in the set thereof, thus providing a convenient means of delivering the documents to the payor via mail or other means.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel and improved communications documents including an integrated intelligently imaged envelope and return coupon or tear-off flap which may be provided in a serially arranged set or collection of such communications documents whereby a user may readily and without use of ancillary materials forward the appropriate document to a recipient and wherein the forwarded document has accurately located variably imaged characters readable by scanning character recognition machines.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings.